If you’re a regular lottery player, you’ll want to be on top of the draw days and times.
There are two important reasons for this. The first is obviously that you’ll want to know as soon as possible if your numbers have won. Secondly, knowing when the draw is will serve to remind you of the cutoff to buy your tickets. Keep reading to stay on track with your lottery schedule.
This post takes a look at the lottery draw times of some of the most popular local and international lottery games. Whether you’re buying your tickets via betting platforms such as Lottofy, or you’re opting for a retail outlet, knowing when the draws are is essential.
Lottery Draw Schedule
You may think that it doesn’t really matter if you see the draw live, after all, you’ll surely find out soon enough if you’ve won. However, there’s something to be said for the excitement of watching a live draw and watching your numbers being read out one after the other. Previous winners agree that this feeling is quite exhilarating! Here’s a list of our top local lottery draw times to add to your schedule.
| Lottery Game | Draw Times (SAST) |
|---|---|
| Daily Lotto | 21:00 |
| Lotto | 20:57 |
| Lotto Plus 1 | 20:57 |
| Lotto Plus 2 | 20:57 |
| Powerball | 20:58 |
| Powerball Plus | 20:58 |
It’s also worth pointing out that the draw results can be viewed on betting platforms such as Lotto Agent, the National Lottery website, or the game’s specific website immediately after the draw.
Lottery Draw Days - When You Should Be Watching
The Powerball SA is currently the lotto that pays out the most, making it a firm favourite of many players. In addition to playing this popular game, many players also try their luck at a few of the smaller lotteries. While this is an excellent strategy, since you never know where you’ll win big, game draws don’t all happen on the same day.
To prevent searching for days, dates, and times, we’ve created a handy table to help you get organised. Whether you’re only playing the Daily Lotto or you’re going after that huge Powerball jackpot, you’ll want to know when the draws are.
| Lottery Game | Draw Days |
|---|---|
| Daily Lotto | Daily |
| Lotto | Wednesday and Saturday |
| Lotto Plus 1 | Wednesday and Saturday |
| Lotto Plus 2 | Wednesday and Saturday |
| Powerball | Tuesday and Friday |
| Powerball Plus | Tuesday and Friday |
Lottery Draw Close Times
For the most part, lottery draws take place on the evening of the specified day. In most cases, the ticket sales close 30 minutes before the draw is scheduled to start. To avoid missing out, it’s a good idea to purchase your tickets early. Here’s a breakdown of the lottery draw close times to add to your schedule.
| Lottery Game | Lottery Draw Close Times |
|---|---|
| Daily Lotto | 20:30 |
| Lotto | 20:30 |
| Lotto Plus 1 | 20:30 |
| Lotto Plus 2 | 20:30 |
| Powerball | 20:25 |
| Powerball Plus | 20:25 |
Avoid disappointment by playing online. Opting to play on platforms such as theLotter will enable you to buy your tickets anywhere without the stress of finding time in your schedule to rush out and purchase tickets. There’s also no risk of losing physical tickets!
Where You Can Watch the Lottery Draws
National lottery draws can be watched on regional TV channels. If you’re not able to watch the draw on TV, the good news is that you can still enjoy the excitement of a live draw. Players who play via a betting platform such as Lottoland can also sign up to watch the draws live. Here’s a breakdown of the TV channels where you can watch your favorite lottery games.
| Lottery Game | Channels Where Draws Can be Viewed |
|---|---|
| Daily Lotto | SABC 2 (DSTV Channel 192) |
| Lotto | SABC 2 (DSTV Channel 192) |
| Lotto Plus 1 | SABC 2 (DSTV Channel 192 |
| Lotto Plus 2 | SABC 2 (DSTV Channel 192 |
| Powerball | DStv Channel 405 and161 |
| Powerball Plus | DStv Channel 405 and 161 |
Worldwide Lottery Draw Times for Playing International Games
Playing popular international games such as Powerball US, Mega Millions, 49s Teatime (UK), 49s Lunchtime (UK), or even Lotto France will increase your chances of winning a dream jackpot.
These games are especially appealing when you consider just how huge many of their winnings are and how easy they are to play on various platforms. Who can forget the $2.04 billion Powerball US payout in 2022? The equally impressive $1.60 billion Mega Millions jackpot paid out in 2023 is also nothing to be scoffed at.
Another dream jackpot worth mentioning is the record-breaking EuroMillions €195 million payout in 2022. This means, playing and knowing when these draws happen is crucial. Use our handy table of draw times in SAST to stay in the loop.
| Lottery Game | Draw Days | SAST Draw Times |
|---|---|---|
| Powerball US | Monday, Wednesday, Saturday | 06:59 pm SAST |
| MegaMillions US | Tuesday, Friday | 05:00 pm SAST |
| EuroMillions | Tuesday, Friday | 9:45 pm SAST (SA summer) 8:45 pm (SA winter because of daylight savings time) |
| 49s Teatime (UK) | Daily | 5:49 pm SAST |
| 49s Lunchtime (UK) | Daily | 6:50 pm SAST |
| Lotto France | Monday, Wednesday, Saturday | 9:00 pm SAST |
FAQ
Players can watch their favourite draws on TV or via their betting platforms. Check for the “Watch live draws” prompt on the platform’s dashboard. We recommend signing up for this feature in advance to avoid any glitches on the day of the draw. Check for mobile options for added convenience.
Unfortunately, ticket sales close about 30 minutes before the draw time. Tickets will therefore not be available. Always check with your betting site or local lottery retailer to confirm that this is the case for any international games you’re keen on playing.
For most lottery games, the ticket cut-off is 30 minutes before the draw. However, some international games such as the Powerball US have a cut-off of up to two hours before the draw. Always check your betting platform for the exact time for your lottery and region.
DailyLotto is ZAR 300,000 on